Cynthia's Revels, or The Fountain of Self-Love · chunk 60 of 66
Jonson, Ben · published 1616 · first performed or written 1600 [1600-1601] (Annals) satire · Children of the Chapel (second) unassigned nearest T24 Apollo, Phoebus and the Muses · 481 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T24: apollo, phoebus, midas, muses, ears, play, hedone, gods, siren, time.
The fourth in white, is APHELEIA, a Nymph as pure and simple as the soul, or as an abrase table, and is therefore called Simplicity, without folds, without plights, without colour, without counterfeit: and (to speak plainly) Plainness itself. Her device is no device. The word under her silver Shield, OMNIS ABEST FUCUS. Alluding to thy spotless self, who art as far from impurity, as from mortality. myself (celestial Goddess) more fit for the court of CYNTHIA, than the arbours of CYTHEREE, am called ANTEROS, or loves enemy; the more welcome therefore to thy court, and the fitter to conduct this quaternion, who as they are thy professed votaries, and for that cause adversaries to Love, yet thee (perpetual Virgin) they both love, and vow to love eternally. NOt without wonder, nor without delight, Mine eyes have viewed (in contemplations depth) This work of wit, divine, and excellent: What shape? what substance? or what unknown power In virgin's habit, crowned with laurel leaves, And olive branches woven in between, On sea-girt rocks, like to a Goddess shines? O front! O face! O all celestial sure, And more than mortal! ARETE, behold Another CYNTHIA, and another Queen, Whose glory (like a lasting plenilune) Seems ignorant of what it is to wane! Not under heaven an object could be found More fit to please. Let CRITES make approach. Bounty forbids to Paul our thanks with stay, Or to defer our favour, after view: The time of grace is, when the cause is new. Lo, here the man (celestial DELIA) Who (like a circle bounded in itself) Contains as much, as man in fullness may. Lo, here the man, who not of usual earth, But of that nobler, and more precious mould, Which PHOEBUS self doth temper, is composed; And, who (though all were wanting to reward) Yet, to himself he would not wanting be: Thy favours gain is his ambitions most, And labours best; who (humble in his height) Stands fixed silent in thy glorious sight. With no less pleasure, than we have beheld This precious crystal, work of rarest wit, Our eye doth read thee (now enstiled) our CRITES; Whom learning, virtue, and our favour last, Exempteth from the gloomy multitude. With common eye the supreme should not see. Henceforth be ours, the more thyself to be. heavens purest light, whose orb may be eclipsed, But not thy praise (divinest CYNTHIA) How much too narrow for so high a grace, Thine (save therein) the most unworthy CRITES Doth find himself! for ever shine thy fame; Thine honours ever, as thy beauties do; In me they must, my dark world's chiefest lights, By whose propitious beams my powers are raised To hope some part of those most lofty points, Which blessed ARETE hath pleased to name, As marks, to which m'endeavours steps should bend: Mine, as begun at thee, in thee must end.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The fourth in white, is APHELEIA, a Nymph as pure and simple as the soule, or as an abrase table, and is therefore called Simplicitie, without folds, without pleights, without colour, without counterfeit: and (to speake plainly) Plainenesse it selfe. Her deuice is no deuice. The word vnder her siluer Shield, OMNIS ABEST FVCVS. Alluding to thy spotlesse selfe, who art as farre from impuritie, as from mortalitie. My selfe (celestiall Goddesse) more fit for the court of CYNTHIA, then the arbors of CYTHEREE, am call'd ANTEROS, or Loues enemie; the more welcome therefore to thy court, and the fitter to conduct this quaternion, who as they are thy professed votaries, and for that cause aduersaries to Loue, yet thee (perpetuall Virgin) they both loue, and vow to loue eternally. NOt without wonder, nor without delight, Mine eyes haue view'd (in contemplations depth) This worke of wit, diuine, and excellent: What shape? what substance? or what vnknowne power In virgins habite, crown'd with lawrell leaues, And oliue branches wouen in betweene, On sea-girt rockes, like to a Goddesse shines? O front! Ô face! Ô all caelestiall sure, And more then mortall! ARETE, behold Another CYNTHIA, and another Queene, Whose glorie (like a lasting plenilune) Seemes ignorant of what it is to wane! Not vnder heauen an obiect could be found More sit to please. Let CRITES make approch. Bountie forbids to paule our thanks with stay, Or to deferre our fauour, after view: "The time of grace is, when the cause is new. Loe, here the man (celestiall DELIA) Who (like a circle bounded in it selfe) Contaynes as much, as man in fulnesse may. Loe, here the man, who not of vsuall earth, But of that nobler, and more precious mould, Which PHOEBVS selfe doth temper, is compos'd; And, who (though all were wanting to reward) Yet, to himselfe he would not wanting be: Thy fauours gaine is his ambitions most, And labours best; who (humble in his height) Stands fixed silent in thy glorious sight. With no lesse pleasure, then we haue beheld This precious christall, worke of rarest wit, Our eye doth reade thee (now enstil'd) our CRITES; Whom learning, vertue, and our fauour last, Exempteth from the gloomy multitude. "With common eye the supreme should not see. Henceforth be ours, the more thy selfe to be. Heau'ns purest light, whose orbe may be eclips'd, But not thy praise (diuinest CYNTHIA) How much too narrow for so high a grace, Thine (saue therein) the most vnworthy CRITES Doth find himselfe! for euer shine thy fame; Thine honours euer, as thy beauties doe; In me they must, my darke worlds chiefest lights, By whose propitious beames my powers are rais'd To hope some part of those most loftie points, Which blessed ARETE hath pleas'd to name, As markes, to which m'indeuours steps should bend: Mine, as begun at thee, in thee must end.